A huge tree was blown down, destroying a lamppost and dislodging a gas main as galeforce winds battered the Hinckley and Bosworth area.

The tree crashed from the corner of a back garden on Holly Lane falling across Shilton Lane in Barwell, blocking both sides of the pavement and the roadway with its canopy coming to rest in the front garden of the house opposite.

Firecrews were alerted at around 7.30pm last night - Wednesday February 12 - with police also called, closing off the road to traffic.

Concerns because of a strong smell of gas prompted a request for assistance from National Grid, which is responsible for the gas network and supplies.

Gas engineers arrived shortly before 9pm, locating a fractured gas pipe which was entangled in the tree roots about an hour later.

The leak was stemmed and parish council tree surgeons arrived this morning to begin removing the tree, estimated to weigh around 20 tonnes.

Leicestershire Highways tree surgery team took over shortly afterwards.

The road remained closed with motorists having to take a diversion. Pedestrians also found their path blocked.